Enhanced multichip module cooling with thermally optimized pistons and closely coupled convective cooling channels

ABSTRACT

A thermally optimized piston for use in a liquid cooled module. The thermally optimized piston has three distinctive sections, an upper tapered section, a central cylindrical section, and a lower diverging section. In a preferred embodiment, the thermally optimized piston is provided as part of an improved electronic module. The improved electronic module includes enhanced convective cooling channels disposed between the pistons.

This is a divisional of copending application(s) Ser. No. 07/532,722filed on Jun. 4, 1990.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to heat transfer mechanisms and more particularlyheat transfer mechanisms for removing the heat generated in anelectronic circuit module assembly.

2. Related Art

The efficient extraction of heat from electronic circuit modules forvery large scale integrated circuit (VLSI) packages has presented asignificant limitation on the design and use of such electronic modules.The power consumed in the integrated circuits generates heat which mustin turn be removed from the VLSI package. Lacking an efficient heattransfer mechanism, the speed, reliability and power capabilities of theelectronic circuit modules are severely limited. As the density ofcircuits within VLSI chips has increased, the need for improved heatextraction has become even more acute since the more densely packedchips tend to have a higher need for heat dissipation per unit area.

One conventional means of heat extraction has been through the use of agas encapsulated thermal conduction module of the type described in U.S.Pat. No. 4,226,281. In FIG. 1, there is shown a cross sectional view ofa prior art gas encapsulated thermal conduction module 10. The thermalconduction module 10 provides cooling of the integrated circuit chips 12contained therein. The chips 12 are mounted on one side of a substrate14, generally made of ceramic, which has pins 16 extending from theother side thereof. The pins 16 provide for the plugging of the moduleinto a board (not shown) which may carry connecting circuitry, etc. Ahousing cap 18 is attached to the substrate 14 by means of a flange 20which extends from the periphery of the substrate 14 to the cap 18. Thecap 18 is made of a good heat conductive material such as copper oraluminum. The cap 18 has small cylindrical openings 22 located therein,which are arranged in 3 by 3 arrays directly adjacent to the exposedsurface of each chip 12. The openings 22 contain pistons 24 oppositeeach of the chips 12 in the module. The pistons 24 are made of a goodheat conducting material such as aluminum or copper or alloys thereof.The cap 18 is in contact with a cold plate 30 which includes a channel32 suitable for carrying a fluid coolant such as water.

Each of the pistons 24 has a head or header 26 at the end which contactsthe surface of the chip 12 when the pin-piston is inserted into theadjacent opening 22 within the housing 18. A spring 27 is includedbetween the housing 18 and the piston 24 to give a small force of theheader 26 against the surface of the chip 12. The force exerted by thespring pressure is such that it will not cause the solder balls 28 onwhich the chips 12 are mounted to change shape.

In operation, heat generated by the chips 12 is extracted by the headers26 and conducted by the pistons 14 to the cap 18 and the cold plate 30.As coolant flows through the channel 32, it carries away the heat fromthe cold plate 30, thereby extracting the heat from the integratedcircuit chips 12 within the thermal conduction module 10.

While the thermal conduction module of FIG. 1 has provided a goodsolution to integrated circuit cooling problems, some aspects of themodule lend themselves to improvement. In particular, the structuralinterrelationships between the pistons and the TCM cap can be criticalto module performance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to enhance the coolingabilities of a liquid cooled electronic module.

The above object is realized by provision of a thermally optimizedpiston. The thermally optimized piston has three distinctive sections,an upper tapered section, a central cylindrical section, and a lowerdiverging header section.

In a preferred embodiment, the thermally optimized piston is provided aspart of an improved electronic module. The improved electronic moduleincludes enhanced convective cooling channels disposed between thepistons.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a prior art thermal conductionmodule.

FIG. 2A is an isometric view of an improved piston according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a top view of the piston of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 2C is a side view of the piston of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 2D is a bottom view of the piston of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 is a side cutaway view of an improved thermal conduction moduleaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an assembly drawing of an improved thermal conduction moduleof the type illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a top cutaway view of the integrated cooling structureprovided in the module of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a top cutaway view of a first alternative embodiment of theintegrated cooling structure of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a top cutaway view of a second alternative embodiment of theintegrated cooling structure of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is an isometric/bottom view of a portion of a channel sectionmanufactured using separate parts.

FIG. 9 is an isometric/bottom view of a portion of an alternativeembodiment of the channel section.

FIG. 10A is a side cutaway view of an arrangement for cooling chips byusing four of the pistons, of the type illustrated in FIG. 3, per eachchip.

FIG. 10B is a top view of the arrangement of FIG. 10A taken along line10B--10B.

FIG. 11 is a side cutaway view of a piston cluster configured in amodule having enhanced flow passages.

FIG. 12 is a top cutaway view of a channel section section, havingchannels with periodic flow turbulators.

FIG. 13 is a top cutaway view of a channel section having channels withperiodically alternating turbulator ribs.

FIG. 14 is a side cutaway view of a channel section manufactured usingseparate parts which, when joined together, form narrow channels havinginterweaved fins.

FIG. 15 is an isometric view of a plurality of the modules of FIG. 3configured in a planar fashion.

FIG. 16 is an isometric view of a plurality of the modules of FIG. 3configured in a stacked or three dimensional fashion.

FIG. 17 is a top cutaway view of a third alternative embodiment of theintegrated cooling structure of FIG. 4.

FIGS. 18A is an isometric view of an improved piston suitable for singlepiston per chip applications.

FIG. 18B is a top view of the piston of FIG. 18A.

FIG. 18C is a side view of the piston of FIG. 18A.

FIG. 19A is a side cut away view of an improved thermal conductionmodule having pistons of the type illustrated in FIG. 18A.

FIG. 19B is a top cutaway view of the module of FIG. 19A taken alongline 19B--19B.

FIG. 20 is an isometric cut away view of an embodiment of an integralcooling structure, manufactured using an alternative method.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

This disclosure describes an improved piston and an enhanced thermalconduction module (TCM). The improved piston comprises three distinctsections, a converging section, a straight cylindrical section having auniform cross section and a diverging header section which provides arectangular surface for good thermal contact with the chip. Thisimproved piston is referred to as a thermally optimized piston (TOP). Ina preferred embodiment, the thermally optimized pistons are provided aspart of an enhanced TCM which includes convective cooling channelsformed in the TCM hat and disposed between the pistons in a closelycoupled fashion. These convective cooling channels can include baffles,screens or pellets to enhance cooling.

FIG. 2A depicts an improved piston (TOP) according to an embodiment ofthe present invention. As discussed above, the thermally optimizedpiston 200 comprises three distinct sections. The first, upper section202 is tapered with a slight converging angle toward the blind hole 208(which is used to hold a spring). This angle accommodates chip tilt andmanufacturing tolerances and minimizes the gap between the piston andits mounting hole when the piston is in place in an assembled TCM.

The central section 204 is cylindrical and maintains a uniform crosssection. This cylindrical section is sized, in both length and diameter,to provide minimum clearance (allowing for chip tilt) with respect tothe TCM hole wall when the piston is inserted.

The lower, chip contacting section 206 (the header) is shaped so as todiverge (taper away) from the central section 204, providing, forexample, a square surface for contact with an integrated circuit chip(not shown). This lower header section maximizes the area of contactbetween the chip and the piston (thereby reducing the thermal resistancethere between) and aids in the maintenance of a uniform temperaturedistribution along the face of the chip. FIGS. 2B and 2C are,respectively, top and side views of the piston of FIG. 2A.

As will be observed from FIGS. 2A and 2C, the improved piston includes ablind hole 208 in one end for receiving a conventional coil spring 210.The pistons are also optimized for best thermal performance per weightof the piston. An excessive piston mass requires high spring forces toprevent large impact loads on the chip if the module is vibrated ordropped. As the spring force is increased to accommodate a high pistonmass, the probability of a mechanical failure of the solder ball joints(which connect the chip to the substrate) also increases. Thus, theimproved piston is provided with a second hole 212 for weight reduction.The second hole is preferably disposed coaxially below the blind hole.

Turning again to FIGS. 2A and 2C, it will be observed that the top canbe provided with a lubrication groove 214, located on the side. Thelubrication groove 214 runs across the upper and central sections 202,204. This groove 214 facilitates the flow of an interfacial media (suchas oil) to the top of the piston and to the annular space surroundingthe piston. The groove 214 also facilitates the removal of the piston inthe presence of a relatively high viscous fluid (such as synthetic oil)by acting as a vent.

A bottom view of the piston of FIG. 2A is illustrated in FIG. 2D. Asillustrated in FIG. 2D, lubrication channels 216, 218 can be provided onthe face of the piston header 206. These channels are particularlyuseful in applications having very large chips and/or poor wettingfluids, in that they provide conduits for the interfacial media to flowbetween the chip and the piston face during the module fillingoperation. Surface tension of the fluid provides the mechanism by whichthe fluid leaves the lubrication channels and fills the sub-micrometergap between the chip and piston.

FIG. 3 is a side, cutaway view of an improved thermal conduction moduleincluding thermally optimized pistons 302 and closely coupled convectivecooling channels 304 in a four piston per chip embodiment. By "closelycoupled", it is meant that 1) the walls between the cooling channels 304and the pistons 302 are as thin as manufacturing tolerances and thestructural rigidity of the TCM material will allow, without ballooningunder the pressure of the coolant under a worst case analysis; and 2)the channels are as deep into the TCM (as close to the feet of thepistons) as manufacturing tolerances and the structural strength of theTCM material will allow, without perforating or bursting under a worstcase coolant pressure analysis. As an example, where the TCM is made ofoxygen free copper, both the side and bottom channel walls could have athickness of 0.5 mm.

As is conventional, the module of FIG. 3 includes an array of integratedcircuit chips 306 mounted to a substrate 308 by way of solder balls. Thesubstrate 308 includes pins which can be used to establish electricalconnection to a mother board 310 which provides interconnection betweenchips within different modules. In the view of FIG. 3, only the outlet312 is shown inasmuch as the inlet would be on the portion of the modulewhich is cut away. Blind holes 314, for receiving the pistons 302, areprovided in the material between the channels 304.

An assembly drawing of an improved thermal conduction module of the typeillustrated in FIG. 3 is depicted in FIG. 4. The module of FIG. 4comprises a cover plate 402, inlet and outlet distributor blocks 404,406, a channel section 408, and a frame 410 for carrying a substrate412. The substrate 412 has an array of integrated circuit chips 414mounted therein. The channel section 408 and the pistons 418 arepreferably made from a good heat conducting material such as copper. Thechannel section 408 includes a plurality of parallel channels 416 whichare formed deeply into the section but do not pierce the bottom (whichfaces the substrate 412 when the module is assembled).

During assembly, the cover plate 402, the inlet distributor block 404,the outlet distributor block 406 and the channel section 408 are brazedtogether, as illustrated, to form an integral cooling structure. Blindholes (not shown) for receiving the thermally optimized pistons 418 arethen drilled into the underside of the channel section 408 (in thematerial between the channels 416). Next conventional coil springs areinserted into the blind holes 208 of the pistons 418 (as illustrated,for example, in FIG. 2C) and the pistons (with the springs inserted) areplaced into the blind holes previously drilled into the underside of thechannel section 408.

After the pistons (with springs in place) have been inserted into thechannel section blind holes, the substrate 412 is placed into the frame410. The frame 410, with the substrate in place, is then fastened to theintegral cooling structure (by way of screws 420) so as to cause thepistons to contact the chips. A hermetic seal is made by a C ring (notshown) located between the frame and the integral cooling structure.Once assembled, the sealed module is evacuated and then backfilled witha thermally conductive fluid (such as oil) that will existinterstitially between the chip and piston, and in between the pistonand the integral cooling structure.

FIG. 5 is a top cutaway view of the integral cooling structure of FIG. 4showing the inlet distributor block 404, the outlet distributor block406 and the channel section 408. The arrows represent the coolant flowpath. A series/parallel flow configuration is preferred in order toprovide maximum heat transfer performance given flow rate and pressuredrop constraints.

In the integral cooling structure of FIG. 5, a coolant, such as water,enters the module through an inlet 502 and is distributed, in parallel,to a first end of seven of the channels 416. At the other end of theseven channels, the coolant is collected and redistributed, in parallel,to a second bank of seven channels, by a first flow distributor 504formed in the outlet distribution block 406. Similarly, a second flowdistributor 506 formed in the inlet distribution plate 404 collects thecoolant flowing out of the second bank of channels and redistributes it,in parallel, to a final bank of seven channels. The coolant flowing fromthe output of the last bank is recollected, by a collector 508 formed inthe outlet distribution block and expelled through an outlet 510. Theinlet 502 and outlet 510 are also shown in the assembly drawing of FIG.4.

The first and second flow distributors 504, 506 are machined,respectively, as concavities into the outlet and inlet distributionblocks 406, 404. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the flow distributors 504,506 each include a diverging section, which receives the incomingcoolant flow from a bank of seven channels, and a converging section,which redistributes the received coolant to another bank of sevenchannels. The diverging/converging shape of the flow distributors 504,506 provides uniform flow to the fed channels (i.e. all of the channelssupplied with coolant by a given distributor will receive the coolant atthe same flow rate) and minimizes stagnation and eddy regions whichwould otherwise contribute to pressure drop. The shape of the flowdistributors 504, 506 also aids in the purging of air during start up.

FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of an integrated coolingstructure which provides a different coolant flow path from the oneillustrated in FIG. 5. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, a single inletdistributor 602 (formed in the inlet distribution block) causes thecoolant to flow, in parallel, through seven sets of three channels inseries 604-616. The coolant is collected by a single collector 618formed in the outlet distribution block and expelled from the module.Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 5, the inlet distributor 602 andoutlet collector 618 work together to provide uniform coolant flow tothe channels and to minimize pressure drop.

FIG. 7 illustrates one of several ways that coolant can be brought intoand out of the module. For example, an outlet channel 702 can beprovided in the extra material of the channel section so that both theinlet 704 and the outlet 706 are on the same side of the integralcooling structure.

FIG. 17 illustrates yet another alternative embodiment of an integralcooling structure which uses a straight parallel flow path. In theembodiment of FIG. 17, the coolant enters module through an inlet 1702and is distributed to a number of parallel channels 1704 by way of adistributor 1706 formed in the inlet distribution block. As will beobserved from FIG. 17, the inlet distributor 1706 converges from towardthe channels as a function of distance from the inlet. The coolant flowsacross the channels 1704, in parallel, until it reaches the outletcollecter 1708 which is formed in the outlet distribution block. Theoutlet collector 1708 diverges from the channels as a function ofdistance from the outlet 1710. The outlet collector collects the coolantand expels it from the outlet 1710.

The aforedescribed modules can be configures in a variety of fashions.FIG. 15 is an isometric view of a plurality of the modules 300 of FIG. 3configures in a planar fashion. FIG. 16 is an isometric view of aplurality of the modules 300 of FIG. 3 configures in a stacked or threedimensional fashion.

Alternative methods of manufacturing the channel section 408 will now bedescribed. As a first alternative, the channel section 408 (FIG. 4) canbe machined from a solid block of material. The channels 416 can be cutinto the block in a conventional manner and rows blind holes for thepistons can be drilled into the other side of the block in the materialbetween the channels.

While the above manufacturing method is relatively inexpensive,conventional machining of the channels limits the minimum attainablechannel width from a practical standpoint. As an alternative tomachining, the channel section can be formed by E-beam welding aplurality of separate bars or sections. FIG. 8 is an isometric/bottomview of a portion of a channel section manufactured using separateparts.

In the embodiment of FIG. 8, each column of pistons is accounted for byits own block of material in which columns of piston holes 812 aredrilled. The sides of the blocks that are parallel and run along thelengths of the piston holes are machined in such a manner such that whenthey are joined together, channels 802 for coolant flow are formed.Looking at FIG. 8, it will be observed that each of the channel sections804-810 is "I" shaped. It should be understood, however, that the endsections (not shown) need not be I shaped but can instead havesmooth/flat surfaces on the side that faces the outer side of thechannel section.

The joining of the blocks 804-810 is preferably accomplished by E-beamwelding, a penetrating weld that insures that the coolant is kept awayfrom the electronics. This method of joining does not alter or softenthe bulk material as brazing would. Advantageously, the region of metalwhere the piston holes are to be drilled remains hard, which allows formachining to tighter tolerances.

Manufacturing the channel section by joining separate blocks alsoenables various channel enhancements. FIG. 9 is a cutaway view of achannel section illustrating one such enhancement. In the embodiment ofFIG. 9, the channel surfaces of each of the blocks 902-908 have beenmachined to include a plurality of parallel semicircular canals 910 suchthat when the sections are joined the resulting channels are in the formof rows of circular flow tubes 912. The advantage of the embodiment ofFIG. 9 is that their is approximately a 70% increase in heat transferarea as compared with the rectangular channel embodiment (of FIG. 8)where the base width of the channel is equal to the diameter of thetube. The heat transfer coefficient for a given flow rate is similar forboth embodiments. Just as with the embodiment of FIG. 8, the sections902-908 are preferably joined by E-beam welding.

The manufacturing technique of joining separate blocks or bars by E-beamwelding also has a number of other advantages. For a turbulent flowregime: 1) Channels can be made narrower, enabling larger piston holesto be machined and larger pistons inserted) and thereby increasing heattransfer performance; 2) The channel walls can be made stiffer. Forexample, the blocks can be made "E" shaped as opposed to I shaped. Thesewalls will be more resistant to distortion forces induced by machiningthe piston hole or by high fluid pressures (as used, for example, duringpressure tests of the module); 3) The channel surfaces can be moreeasily treated for material compatibility and for fouling (e.g. bymetallic alloy plating; 4) The channel walls can be machined to providevarious kinds of extended surfaces for heat transfer (e.g. asillustrated in FIG. 9).

The above-described block-joining manufacturing technique isadvantageous for a laminar flow regime as well (i.e. Reynolds number ofless than 2300 based on the hydraulic diameter of the channel). Forexample, as illustrated in FIG. 14, extended fins 1402 can be machinedon the sides of the blocks 1404, 1406 such that when the blocks arejoined together the fins interweave to form extremely narrow channels(as illustrated, for example, by reference numeral 1408). By extremelynarrow, it is meant that the channels have a width of 0.3 mm. or less. Apractical optimum for the channel width, given the desire to achieve areasonable pressure drop (for example about 10-12 psi) and a reasonabletemperature rise (about 5 degrees Celsius) across the fluid is 0.25 mm.

An alternative method of manufacturing the entire integral coolingstructure will now be explained by reference to FIG. 20. First, an inletmanifold 2002, an outlet manifold 2004 and a center section 2006 areformed by hollowing out portions of a solid block of material (e.g.oxygen free copper). This hollowed out block forms a base section 2008.Next, rectangular blocks 2010 of the material are, positioned in thecenter section 2006 in such a manner so as to have spaces in between,thus forming channels 2012 for coolant flow between the inlet and outletmanifolds 2002, 2004. Next, a cover plate (not shown), which covers theentire base , is brought down over the base 2008 and the blocks 2010.The blocks 2010 and the base 2008 are then brazed together. Holes forpistons (not shown) are then drilled through the bottom of the base andinto the blocks.

One important aspect of efficient heat transfer is establishing a goodthermal interface between the pistons and the surface of the chips. Theprocess of making circuits the surface of a wafer causes chip curvatureand waviness. In addition, thermal expansion of the chip upon heating isunequal since the powered circuits are typically only located on oneside of the chip. Therefore, the chip surface in contact with thepistons is typically not flat. The degree of flatness is related to chipsize. Thus, for large chips, the use of multiple TOPs, as shown in FIGS.10A and 10B, is desirable.

FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate an arrangement for cooling chips by usingfour thermally optimized pistons 1002-1008 per chip 1010. Each thermallyoptimized piston has a diverging header with a square chip contactingsurface 1012-1018 having lubrication channels. Convective coolingchannels 1020-1024 are located within the hat, between each row ofpistons. A liquid coolant (e.g. water) flows through the channels andchannel heat removal rate is determined by the volumetric flow and thechannel dimensions. As discussed with respect to FIGS. 2A-2D, eachpiston includes a coil spring 1026 and coaxially disposed blind holes1028-1030.

In some applications, manufacturability concerns favor a single pistonper chip embodiment (in contrast with the four piston per chipembodiment of FIGS. 3, 10A, 10B). In that case, the optimum pistonlength will be longer than in a multiple piston embodiment. The pistonconfiguration giving optimal thermal performance in this single pistonembodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 18A-C. The piston of FIGS. 18A-Cincludes a long tapered region 1802 on the piston end not in contactwith the chip, a cylindrical region 1804 which is as long as permittedby the chip curvature or tilt considerations, and a shorter taperedregion 1806 on the piston end contacting the chip surface. Typically, anoptimal taper would have the longer tapered region 1802 from 2 to 3times as long as the shorter tapered region 1806.

As previously mentioned, the chip surface tends to be sphericallyconcave in use on the substrate. For large chips, this curvature issufficient to leave a large gap between a single piston having a flatface and the center of the chip. This gap results in a hot spot at thecenter of the chip. Two alternative means of eliminating or reducingthis hot spot in single piston per chip embodiments will now bedescribed.

As a first alternative, the piston can be provided with a chipcontacting header 1808 which is machined into a spherical crown having aradius of curvature approximating that of the chip surface. While invarious applications it might be advantageous to provide a piston with acrown having a radius of curvature slightly larger or smaller than thatof the chip surface, significant deviation can cause problems. Forexample, providing a crown of significantly larger radius of curvaturethan that of the chip will not eliminate the hot spot at the chipscenter. Similarly, providing the piston with a crown of a significantlysmaller radius of curvature than that of the chip will result in hotspots along the chips edges or corners.

In some instances, it could be impractical to make a tool of largeenough radius to approximate that of the chip curvature. In suchinstances a flat diamond tool can be tilted at a slight angle to createa slight conical face on the chip header 1808. The center of the conicalface can also be truncated (i.e. flat in the center).

FIGS. 19A-B depict an embodiment of an improved thermal conductionmodule using the piston of FIGS. 18A-C in a one piston per chipconfiguration. The depth of the convective cooling channels 1902 isreduced along the edges 1904 for oil expansion space 1914 and to keepfrom over cooling the outer row of the chip sites. Also, the ends ofeach channel can have curvature to facilitate saw cut tool requirementsand to keep chip sites at ends of the channels from being over cooled.As illustrated in FIG. 19B, the channels are arranged in aserial/parallel multi-pass fashion. For certain applications, a topmanifold is preferred. The inlet 1910 has an increasing width entrancemanifold 1912 to ensure uniform flow to each channel. Similarly, theoutlet 1906 has a decreasing width exit manifold 1908 for collection ofthe coolant.

From FIG. 19B, it will be observed that fewer channels are used in thesecond pass (the pass in which the coolant returns to the outlet) thanin the first pass. Specifically, 6 channels are used in the first,incoming, pass while only five channels areas used in the second pass.The smaller number of channels create a higher coolant velocity duringthe second pass than existed for the first pass. Advantageously,increased heat transfer, due to the increased velocity in the secondpass, will tend to counteract the negative heat transfer effects ofincreases in coolant temperature that occur during the first pass. Inembodiments with more than two passes, the module can be designed sothat each subsequent cooling pass encompasses less channels than thepreceding pass.

As previously discussed, a larger water heat removal rate is realized byenhancing the convective cooling channels. This can be accomplished aspreviously described with respect to FIGS. 9 and 14 or by placingmaterial into the channels as depicted in FIG. 11. FIG. 11 shows threedifferent types of channels enhancements. Although illustrated in amultiple piston per chip environment (i.e. four TOPs 1006, 1008 and twocut away contact each chip 1110), it should be understood that theseenhancements are also applicable to single piston per chip embodiments.

As depicted in FIG. 11, The left channel 1120 contains a screen 1102 (awoven wire mesh), the center channel 1122 has a baffle 1104, and theright channel 1124 is filled with flow control pellets 1106. Theaddition of a screen 1102 provides greater heat transfer performancesince the water passage is more complex. As a result, turbulence iscreated and the water is thoroughly mixed.

The center channel 1122 is split into two small channels by a flowcontrol baffle 1104 extending into the main channel from the hat. Thebaffle 1104 reduces the hydraulic diameter of the channels and increasesthe fluid velocity. Each of these factors has the effect of increasingthe heat removal capability of the channels. The baffle extends downwardinto the depth of the channel and can run the entire channel length.Alternatively, the baffle can be lengthwise interrupted by small cuts sothat the boundary layer of coolant is continuously destroyed. The bafflestrips can also be bent in an alternating pattern such that the bulkfluid is deflected onto the channel walls.

The right hand channel 1124 is filled with small pellets 1106 having adiameter nearly as large as the channel width. As a result, the heatremoval rate from the channel wall will be enhanced by the turbulencecreated by the pellets.

Other enhancements to the channels can also be made. For example, FIG.12 is a top cutaway view of a channel section showing channels havingperiodic turbulators 1202. A further alternative having channelsincluding periodically alternating turbulator ribs 1302 is illustratedin FIG. 13.

Any one of the above enhancements can be used alone or in combinationwith the others depending on the desired heat removal performance in agiven area of the TCM and the pressure drop limitations of the coolantdelivery system.

Many other modifications and variations that do not depart from thescope and spirit of the invention will now become apparent to those ofskill in the art. Thus, it should be understood that the above-describedembodiments of the invention have been described by way of example andnot as a limitation.

Having thus described out invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by letters patent is:
 1. An electric circuit cooling module,comprising:a first section having a plurality of channels formedtherein, a first flow distributor connected to the first section anddisposed at a first end of the channels, the first flow distributorcomprising distribution means for receiving coolant from an inlet andfor supplying the coolant to the first end of the channels; and a secondflow distributor connected to the first section and disposed at a secondend of the channels, the second flow distributor comprising collectionmeans for collecting the coolant from the channels and for expelling thecoolant from the module, wherein the distribution means is of aconverging shape with respect to the first end of the channels startingat the first end of a first one of the channels closest to the inlet andproceeding toward the first end of a second one of the channels furthestfrom the inlet, and wherein the collection means is of a diverging shapewith respect to the channels starting at a the second end of the firstone of the channels and proceeding toward the second end of the secondone of the channels.
 2. The electronic circuit cooling module of claim 1wherein the first section comprises a plurality of I-shaped bars, theI-shaped bars being welded to one another so as to form the channelstherebetween.
 3. The electronic circuit cooling module of claim 1,further comprising, a top plate connected to the first section anddisposed to cover the channels.
 4. The electronic circuit cooling moduleof claim 1 wherein the first section comprises a plurality of bars, eachof the bars having at least one protrusion on each side thereof.
 5. Theelectronic circuit cooling module of claim 1 wherein the channelscomprise at least one surface having a metallic alloy plating.
 6. Theelectronic circuit cooling module of claim 1 wherein the channelscomprise interweaved fins and wherein the channels have a width of lessthan 0.3 millimeters.
 7. The electronic circuit cooling module of claim1 wherein the channels comprise first and second pluralities ofchannels, the second plurality of channels is of a lesser number thanthe first plurality of channels.
 8. The electronic circuit coolingmodule of claim 1 wherein the channels comprise flow turbulatorsdisposed therein.
 9. The electronic circuit cooling module of claim 8wherein the flow turbulators are disposed alternately with one anotheron opposing walls of the channels.
 10. The electronic circuit coolingmodule of claim 1, wherein the first section has a plurality of blindholes formed therein, the holes being disposed between the channels, andfurther comprising plurality of pistons disposed at least partially inthe holes.
 11. The electronic circuit cooling module of claim 10 whereineach of the pistons comprises a crown having a chip contacting surface,the chip contacting surface having a radius of curvature approximatingthat of a surface of an integrated circuit chip with which the chipcontacting surface is to make contact.
 12. The electronic circuitcooling module of claim 11 wherein the piston is of a barrel shape andcomprises an upper tapered portion, a central cylindrical portion, and alower tapered portion.
 13. The electronic circuit cooling module ofclaim 12 wherein the upper portion is of greater length than the centralportion.
 14. An electronic circuit cooling module, comprising:a firstsection having a plurality of serpentine channels formed therein, afirst flow distributor connected to the first section and disposed at afirst end of the channels, the first flow distributor comprisingdistribution means for receiving coolant from an inlet and for supplyingthe coolant to the first end of each of the channels; and, a second flowdistributor connected to the first section and disposed at a second endof the channels, the second flow distributor comprising collection meansfor collecting the coolant from each of the channels and for expellingthe coolant from the module, wherein the distribution means convergeswith respect to the first end of the channels as a function of distancefrom the inlet and wherein the collection means converges with respectto the second end of the channels as a function of distance from theoutlet.